


One Day Here and the Next Day Gone

by Tabithian



Series: Light the Path [37]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-15 16:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5792380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As far as family traditions go, this one isn't so bad.</p><p>Or, okay.</p><p>It wasn't so bad until Dick got it into his head that these little “Thank God you didn't get yourself killed, you moron!,” road trips should include everyone and things got a little on the crowded side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Day Here and the Next Day Gone

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place sometime after [Distance Over Time](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4472216) and is inspired by [an exchange with Saj_te_Gyuhyall.](http://archiveofourown.org/comments/50183137)
> 
> Also, [this](http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/rvs/5410371839.html) was a great help in everything.

As far as family traditions go, this one isn't so bad.

Or, okay.

It wasn't so bad until Dick got it into his head that these little “Thank God you didn't get yourself killed, you moron!,” road trips should include everyone and things got a little on the crowded side.

Who knows, maybe Dick's trying to give them some normal family memories (whatever those are), or he's more of an asshole that even Jason realized. 

Both, probably, knowing him.

Point is, they went from borrowing one of Bruce's flashy cars when it was the two of them to some sporty little hatchback a college kid might drive when Tim and Damian got dragged into it.

Dick started eyeing sedate old people cars around the time Steph and Cass pulled really stupid shit of their own. Inoffensively beige-y in color inside and out things that were basically car-shaped tanks.Now?

Now it's the two of them headed to the car rental agency office to pick up the pair of minivans they reserved a week ago because the world almost ended again and there was more than one close-call for all of them.

Bruce and Damian didn't even offer up a word of protest when Dick trapped all of them down in the Cave and told them what was going to happen now that the stitches were out and the casts were off.

“Minivans.”

Dick grins at Jason.

“Come on, Jason. We just saved the world. You know what that means.”

Minivans, though.

This has to be some kind of new low for them.

“Oh my God.”

Dick cuts across three lanes of traffic and pulls a hard right that has Jason bouncing against the passenger side door. Automatically going for one of his guns before the car even stops. 

“Dick, what the hell?” Jason asks, scanning the area for threats and coming up empty.

And then he realizes Dick is just sitting there, staring through the windshield, this look of utter delight on his face.

Jason follows his gaze.

They're at some used car lot, small, shabby. Gravel lot with maybe a dozen cars to its name, tiny little building that's little more than a shack that serves as the office.

And Dick.

He's staring past the sad little cars at the nose of an old RV peeking out behind the office. Late afternoon sunlight filtering down on the Winnebago like something out of a movie.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Dick gets a hand on Jason's arm, and pulls him out of the car towards the stupid Winnebago. He has the biggest smile on his face Jason's ever seen, this look in his eyes that no one, not even Alfred, has found a way to say no to.

"Look at her," Dick breathes, when they reach the Winnebago. "She's _beautiful_."

Jason drags his eyes away from Dick and the smitten look on his face to the Winnebago in question.

Big, boxy, and ugly as hell. White with this wide mustard yellow stripe down its side, another thinner stripe for the logo just above it. Horrible curtains in its windows that Jason suspects may be the originals, they're so awful. 

"Come on, let's see if the doors are locked."

Jason shoots Dick a look, tries to stop him before he gets himself in trouble. 

The salespeople haven't noticed them yet, but if they go poking around the damn RV, someone's bound to notice.

Or. 

Oh, Christ, what if someone's living in it? The office is tiny, more of a shack, and there aren't any sale signs on the damn Winnebago. 

"Dick, you asshole, wait - “

Too late, though, Dick's got the door open and is inside before Jason finishes talking, because of course.

“Dick, what the hell is wrong with you?” Jason mutters, hurrying after him. 

Stepping into the Winnebago is like being transported back in time to that shameful time in history when Disco was in.

Mustard yellow seems to the theme here, along with really, really bad fake wood paneling. Christ, the upholstery is some kind of eye-searing floral print with some paisley thrown in there and more mustard yellow with the accents. The carpeting is this weird mottled greenish yellow shag carpeting.

There are gold-flecked mirror panels on the door to what has to be the bathroom, which, really. That just seems like an amazingly bad idea in an RV.

The door opens to reveal Dick who looks like this damn Winnebago is the best thing to ever happen to him.

“Isn't this amazing? You haven't even seen the bathroom!”

No.

God, no.

But Dick is oblivious to the fact Jason wants nothing better than to leave this horrible place, and grabs his hand, tugging him along behind him.

Jason doesn't know how, but the bathroom is even _worse_.

“I think I'm dying,” Jason says, staring at the wallpaper which is white with mustard yellow ferns and random leaves and flower-things of some kind. “Dick, this should not be what kills me, you fucker.”

Dick laughs, and slips past Jason like he thinks Jason's _joking_.

“We're buying her!” Dick calls back, door slamming shut behind him.

********

Dick charms the salespeople into selling the Winnebago for a third of their original asking price, and Jason is officially in hell.

“No, come on,” Dick says, patting the stupid thing. “I mean, this way we don't have to split up, and we can save money on getting motel rooms!”

Jason looks at Dick, because.

“Bruce was footing the bills, Dick.”

And, okay. Bruce didn't he know he was at first, but that kind of proves that it wasn't hurting him, so. 

Christ, Jason can't fucking think, because the damn Winnebago - 

“Winnie.”

“What?”

Dick pats the Winnebago again, and beams at Jason. “Her name. Winnie.”

Jason stares at Dick, because wow, original name, there, and Dick.

He smirks at Jason and hooks an arm around his neck to tug him down, whispers in his ear, “Wait until Bruce and Damian see her.”

********

And to think, no one ever believes Jason when he says Dick's an asshole.

********

When they get back to the manor Dick honks the horn a few times, and when that gets no reaction gives up and calls Tim to tell him there's something everyone needs to see.

The others file out of the manor to see what's going on, little bit wary, little bit curious.

Tim gets this look on his face when he sees Winnie, eyes going to Dick who's still _smiling_ , and Bruce, who looks completely horrified in a Bruce kind of way.

And then Tim smiles, this small, viciously pleased little thing that he tucks away when Steph and Cass drag him over to Winnie to get a look inside.

Damian and Bruce.

Well, they stare.

These expressions on their faces that's an interesting mix of horrified and appalled.

“No.”

“ _Grayson_.”

Dick is beaming, leaning up against Winnie while Jason watches everything play out. 

He's right there with Bruce and the little demon brat, because holy shit, but.

Seeing the look on Bruce's face, on Damian's, is worth it. 

(Jason's an asshole, of course he loves seeing Bruce suffer like this. Damian's just kind of a nice little bonus here.)

“There's shag carpeting,” Tim says, poking his head out. “And gold-flecked mirrors.”

Bruce looks pained, and Tim, the little shit, just keeps piling it on because he, too, is the kind of asshole who likes to see Bruce suffer. 

“There's a 8-track player, and the only stations the radio picks up play country gold and NPR.”

Bruce's expression goes pained, and Damian's sneer falters, eyes widening as they both realize what that means. (Endless hours of country gold and radio talk shows, or Dick singing.)

Steph shoves Tim out of the way and runs over to Dick and hugs him, laughter bubbling out of her.

Like that's his breaking point, Damian makes a break for it, but Bruce snags him by the hood of his hoodie and reels him back. Keeps Damian from bolting again with a hand on his shoulder and a look that says if Bruce is going to suffer, so is Damian. 

And Jason?

Hell, Jason's starting to think this is going to be the best goddamned road trip they've ever gone on.

**Author's Note:**

> *hands*


End file.
